So this morning I'm going to preach a sermon entitled maintain good works maintain good works
And I get that of course here in Titus 3 that's something that's mentioned there at the end
But also there in the beginning in verse 8 it says this is a faithful saying and these things
I will that thou affirm constantly so whenever you see Paul and his writings to
Timothy and Titus which were his proteges which were the younger preachers that were going to take over for him
Calling he often when he's writing to them will you know admonish them to make sure that they are preached
You know certain things that there's certain things that they always are hitting and here
He says that he will ask the Titus to say he says to him
I will at thou will I will that thou affirm constantly so he wants us to be a constant, you know affirmation
He wants us something that's brought up often
And what is it that he wants him to affirm constantly that they which have believed in God right the saved born-again
Child of God might be careful to maintain good works
So there's certain things there's certain works that we as God God's people have to be careful to maintain
Okay, of course, you know when we read that word maintain
We probably think of a word like maintenance right or the upkeep of some kind of a piece of equipment
So he's saying our lives as Christians are kind of like that piece of equipment
You know if we don't take care of them if we're not careful with them if we don't take care of it
You know, it's gonna fall apart
it's gonna fall into disarray just like any you know motor vehicle like you have a pickup or a truck or
You know a car or anything like that. You have to you know, do the routine maintenance, you know
You have to change the oil at least you should right or you got to rotate the tires and do all the you know
the scheduled maintenance if you want that thing to last and operate at its
Last long time and operate it at its its its most efficient. Okay, so it's the same way in our lives
You know
We have to as God's people make sure that we're maintaining good works or some certain things
That have to be maintained and he says there that I have to what be careful to maintain these things meaning
They have to be mindful of them. They have to think about them
They have to be conscious of the fact that there's certain works and our lives that if we're not careful will
Fall into disarray that they will slip and they will no longer be what they should. Okay, and
The reason why we have to be careful to maintain good works
He says there at the end of the verse these things are good and profitable unto men, right?
It's good that
Titus is going to affirm these things constantly to the children of God to the people of God
It's good that they they are it's gonna profit them
But why is that because the good works that we're told to do
Those are the things also that are going to be good and profitable unto men. Okay
Because we ask ourselves, you know
What are the good works if we're supposed to be careful to maintain these things if Titus here is being told to?
Affirm them constantly. We have to make sure we understand what these good works are
You know
I believe the fact that the the the part where he's saying these are these things are good and profitable unto men
He's referring to the good works themselves
The good works that we do are the things that are profitable unto men
I think those are the things that we do that are good and profitable
Okay, so the works that we do are ought to be things that profit other people. Okay, those are the good works
They're the things that benefit others and of course, you know in a local New Testament Church
Probably the first thing we think about the greatest work
Any of us could ever do is to go out and preach the gospel to do the soul-winning
Obviously, that's a major theme here. That's what we're here to do as a local New Testament Church
That's why we have the map back there of our city that we're filling in and our goal is to knock every door
In the entire city of Tucson, that's why you know the faithful word Baptist Church, you know
Not just here in Tucson
But also if in Tempe has the greater broader vision of knocking every door in the state of Arizona
Which is as well on its way to accomplishing which is a great accomplishment
We've knocked all the doors practically on on every reservation not practically in fact we have
You know excluding the Navajo which we will probably finish up in the next year or two
Okay, so obviously that's you say why do that? Why is that something that you endeavor to do so much?
Why is it something you preach? Why do you affirm the soul-winning constantly? Why are you always?
Talking about soul-winning and doing this only because these are the things that are good and profitable unto men
These are the things that we are to be affirmed
Constantly to be reminded of to be careful to maintain. These are the things we ought to be doing
We have to maintain these things or we will cease from doing them. Okay?
So these good works if you would keep something in Titus and we're gonna come back
Maybe a little bit later, but go back over to Matthew chapter number 20
The good works are the things that benefit other people, of course
Soul winning is probably that the number one thing in fact, that's the thing I'm going to talk about this morning
But you know even beyond that, you know, we ought to do good unto all men
Especially or the household of faith we ought to with love serve one another
Obviously, there's other good works that we could do that. We should be careful to maintain
Beyond just soul winning, you know, we should be sure that we're loving one another as brethren
We should make sure that we're helping in one another out as we have opportunity, you know, we should be
Serving one another within the local church. That's something we also ought to be doing
If you look there in Matthew chapter number 20 look at verse 25
It says but Jesus called unto him and he said he know that the princes of the Gentiles
Exercised dominion over them and they that are great exercise exercise authority upon them
So, you know that he's saying look, you know
There's this chain of command in these Gentile governments where the the lesser, you know is ruled over by the greater that they the the lesser
Serves the greater right but he goes on it says but it shall not be so among you
But whosoever will be great among you whoever it's gonna be the ruler who's ever gonna be the one with the authority
Let him be your minister, right?
So he's saying we don't look to the world's pattern of doing things where you know
The so to speak the buck just keeps getting passed down, you know
It all just kind of rolls downhill to the low man on the totem pole
He's saying it's not ought to be that way around God's people among God's people
The lesser, you know should be served of the greater but whosoever shall be great among you. Let him be your minister
What is a minister? It's a servant, right?
It's somebody that would benefit another person and whosoever will be chief among you
Let him be your servant
even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for
Many so we don't like this so we don't like the way this is going
We don't like the idea of being a servant or being a minister, you know, Jesus here reminds us that
Hey, that's exactly what I'm doing. That's what Jesus the Son of God came and did when he gave his life a ransom for many
He came not to minister but to are not to be ministered unto but rather but to minister
Okay, so he uses that as the example, so we have to ask ourselves, you know
When we're talking about this idea about maintaining good works, what are these good works?
They're the things that benefit other people. Okay, they're the things that we do in service to others
And obviously the greatest
Potential benefit we could ever do to have for anybody is
The preaching of the gospel you say where can we do the most good for somebody?
You know, obviously there's a lot of different ways we can do good for people, you know, we could start a soup kitchen
Right, we could start
You know trying to bring the homeless in and and shelter them and give them food and and raiment
Right, and you know, there's plenty of ministries out there
That's what they do, but then they leave off the greatest work which is the work of preaching the gospel. Okay
And that's what we're endeavoring to do here. You know, we want to do the most
Potential good that we can in fact, we want to do what we're commanded to do
Which is to go out and to preach the gospel to every creature
That's what we were told at the end of bookmark
If you would go over to 2nd Corinthians chapter number 5 2nd Corinthians chapter number 5
You
Know preaching the gospel is the greatest work that we can do. That's the most good we can ever do
I mean, what good would it do if I fed somebody clothes somebody gave him a few dollars
Help him clean themselves up a little bit and then sent them right back out in the world
So, you know go right back to their sin, but never ministered to their soul
Wouldn't be far better if I went to that person and maybe they're not going to clean up their lives
Maybe they're going to suffer physically in this life
But I managed to preach them the gospel and they received it and they were saved for all of eternity
That is the greatest benefit we could do
Because not you know, whatever happens to them in this life. Their soul is going to go to heaven
You know, they're not going to go to hell. Okay, so obviously that's the greatest benefit
We could ever do anybody that is the work that we must be careful to maintain is the work of preaching the gospel and
Obviously, you know and you think well, of course, of course we would do that, you know
But here's the thing people over time can grow very lukewarm in this area and they can start to wax in this area
They can start to you know
Not have the fervency that they once had to go out and see
Soul saved or some people they know they just need to get started. They just never seem to get into soul winning
Okay, but again, we're commanded to go out and preach the gospel every creature
It's my job as a preacher to affirm these constantly that we be careful to maintain these good works
The good works are the things that benefit others
It's it's us being a minister to other people the greatest ministry we could ever have is saving the souls of the lost
Okay
And that's what we're called to do Paul
I'll just remind us in acts 26 when he's recounting, you know, his we's witnessing or you know
He's recounting his salvation to King Agrippa. He said at the appearing of the Lord Jesus when when Christ came to him
He said who art thou Lord and he said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest
But rise and stand upon thy feet for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister
You know Christ came to Paul and said here's why I came to you Paul
To make you a minister not to make you a big shot not to make
You some big name that everybody else is going to serve but to actually use you as a chosen vessel as a light unto
the Gentiles, I'm going to use you and make you a minister Paul and
He went out. Of course. We know he did those things
He was the probably the greatest soul winner that's ever lived
You know, he's he went out started all those New Testament churches across several, you know
Countries continents and has done great works wrote the New Testament the vast majority of it
You're there in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 5 one of Paul's epistles. It says in verse 17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature old things are passed away behold
all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and
Hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation
So it's not like, you know
Ministering the ministry of reconciliation, which is preaching the gospel, right?
That's why it goes on and says, you know, we beseech you in Christ. It'd be reconciled to God
That's what we're doing when we're preaching the gospel. We're reconciling lost sinners to a holy God through the blood of Christ. Okay?
But that's been given unto us not as an option
That's not like something that we can just kind of do if we feel like it
That is something that has been committed unto us
Isn't that what he said there?
He had given unto us the ministry of reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself
Not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation
So obviously, you know Christ came and he started that ministry of reconciliation. He went out and preached the gospel
He sent his disciples Paul was later as one born out of due time
Was you know had Christ come to him and say I'm going to make you a minister and he went out and he
Paul went out and preached the gospel started churches
Then he said the things which I've committed unto thee teach other men
Faithful men who will be able to teach others also so that ministry that started with Christ has passed down
Through the New Testament Church and it's ours today. You know, the ball is on our court when it comes to the gospel
and that's why we're so
Adamant about going out and preaching the gospel because it's our job to do it. Nobody else can do it and
We have to be careful to maintain this good work of soul winning and going out
Good works have to be maintained in terms of
Consistency, you know, this is probably the hardest thing about soul winning besides just getting started. It's being consistent
Good works must be maintained in terms of consistency. Just like your car
You can't just change the oil one time and be like, well, I'm done with that
Glad that's over never have to do that again, right? Maybe some of us are like that
I don't know when that thing's not gonna last as long as it could if you just change the oil one time you have
To be consistent in that and then maintaining that good work. It's a good work to change the oil in your car, right?
It's the same way in our spiritual eyes all the good works that we do whether it's soul winning
Bible reading all these things that we do all the things that we are have been committed unto us as God's people
They have to be maintained and we have to be careful to maintain them. They don't maintain themselves
Okay, we have to be conscious of these things
We have to preach and be affirmed and preached to and have these things affirmed to unto us
You're there in 2nd Corinthians go to chapter number 2 2nd Corinthians chapter number 2
the Bible says in
Romans 10 whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved
How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him
I'm who they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher?
You know the lost aren't gonna get saved without the preacher
Someone has to come to them and preach the gospel the word of faith
How shall they preach except they be sent? Okay, so that's again
That's we have to be sent. We have to be told to go. Otherwise, it's not going to happen
We have to maintain these things
It has to be maintained in terms of consistency. Paul was a very consistent person
You know and Paul is a great example of somebody who was consistent in the face of adversity
Through trials and difficulties and didn't let little things stop him from doing the work that was committed unto him. Okay
He says there in verse 12
I had you go to I had to go to you go to chapter 10 if you're if you haven't already go to chapter
Number 10 2nd Corinthians 10. I'll just read to you from chapter 2
Furthermore when I came to Troy has to preach Christ gospel a door was up open unto me of the Lord
So, I mean this is just another example of him coming to Troas he's coming to Corinth he's going to Galatia
He's going to the Ephesians. He's going to Colossae and he's going all these missionary journeys at a time
When there was no, you know, there were no motor vehicles. There were no planes. There were no trains
There were no automobiles. There was no way for him to get around really except by foot
You think well, he probably had a horse
He probably didn't because having a horse is a very, you know expensive thing to maintain that was you know
that was the
The luxury vehicle of back then, you know, that was the Escalade back then right was the horse
You know back then everything was done on foot by and large. Most people walked everywhere that they went
And Paul was still consistent in this despite the fact that you know
He had a much harder time of getting to where he needed to go than we do
It was a much more inconvenient for him to go and do what he had to do
For example, you know, we went to Ochuca City yesterday an hour away
Imagine having had to walk there
You know, I couldn't even tell you how long that would take because I've never done it
I don't even I don't even know how long would that take probably at least in two days
Maybe three. I don't know. I don't want to know. Okay. I don't even have to think about it
I don't have to sit here and do the math because it took us an hour to drive there
Right, we drove there. We got there we did the work but imagine the time when that wasn't even possible. Okay, or
Let's say just the other side of Tucson, you know
We got to preach the gospel to every creature in Tucson. I mean good night
It's 45 minutes and a vehicle across town sometimes right stop and go traffic
Imagine walking that my point is this is that Paul, you know is a great example of somebody who remained consistent in the face of
Inconvenience when things weren't convenient when were things weren't easy. Paul was careful to maintain this good work of soul-winning
He says in second Corinthians chapter number 10 verse 12
We dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves
By they measuring themselves by by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise
So I know that's a bit of a tongue twister there. Okay, but he's talking to say hey
We're not like these people are just comparing ourselves to one another
But we will not boast of things without our measure
But according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us
He's saying we're not gonna boast beyond our measure
He's saying the things that we're saying we have every right to say because it is God that has distributed us this measure
Okay, that's what he's saying here a measure to reach
Even unto you he's saying we're not going beyond our bounds and reaching out to you Corinthians and saying and preaching and teaching
The things that we are this is the measure that has been given unto us of God
We're not going beyond ourselves. We're not measuring ourselves by other people our measure is of God
That's I believe what he's saying here. He says in verse 14 for we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure
We're not going beyond our limits as though we reached not unto you
For we are come as far as unto you and also in preaching the gospel of Christ
So the point I'm trying to make here is that Paul is you know saying it's our job. It's our measure
It's to go and to preach to you the gospel of Christ
It goes on in verse 15 not boasting of things without our measure that is of other men slavers
But having hope when your faith is increased that we may be enlarged by you
According to our rule abundantly he's saying well hoping that you know when we come to you
That we your faith will be increased and we shall be enlarged that you're going to recognize that we're not going beyond our bounds
We're coming to you our measure is of God. We're going to increase your faith and you're going to enlarge us
You know you're going to enable us and often back then especially that was probably in the form of you know
Supplying their needs maybe giving them money for their journey
That they would be enlarged by them according to our rule abundantly okay as is appropriate
I believe is saying to do what verse 16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you
So he's saying look it's our job
It's our duty to come to you and preach the gospel
And then it's your job to also enable us and enlarge us in return so that we can preach the gospel in the regions
Beyond you okay, so again
I'm just kind of using this as an example of somebody in Paul who was careful to maintain good works
consistently in the face of great adversity of traveling great distances of going through great
Difficulties okay, if you would look there in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 11
He says in verse 22 I'll be greeting in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 11 are they Hebrews so am I are they Israelites
So am I are they the seed of Abraham, so am I are they ministers of Christ?
I speak as a fool. I am more in labors more abundant
He's saying in stripes above measure, and he's not talking about you know his wardrobe
He's not as his fresh walk aware. You know it's he's talking about my stripes
You know are those that were laid upon me. You know with a whip okay?
He's talking about the stripes that are on his back in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths offed
I mean these are the things that Paul was facing
When he was being careful to maintain the good works that had been committed unto him when he was made a minister of Christ
He's being whipped
He's laboring more abundant. He's working night and day with his hands. He's in prisons more frequent. He's being jailed
He's in deaths off. He's you know being stoned
He goes on and says verse 24 of the Jews five times received I 40 stripes saved one
I'm not gonna take time to do the math, but that's a lot of stripes, okay
Thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned thrice
I suffered shipwreck a
Night and a day have I been in the deep he's been I've been out in the ocean
Just floating for a night and a day after being shipwrecked. These are the things that Paul managed to
Went through and managed to remain
consistent in his good works, okay
Obviously, you know, this was something you had to be careful to do
You know, I'd like to think I could go through all those same things, but honestly, I don't know
You know the first stoning I'd probably be like, you know, I'm good, you know, okay
I'll stop the first whipping the first shipwreck, you know, the first being in deaths off whatever exactly that mean it doesn't sound pleasant
You know, but the first time I face one of things it might be like well that's enough for me
I'd like to I'd like to think I'd go beyond that I think the think well
You know what if I'm not careful to maintain these good works. I won't the first little inconvenience that comes along
I'm out. Okay. This is what stops people a lot of times in their ministering
It'd be you know, the soul winning the the the thrill is gone after a while
Okay, and that's not just a sowing even and things like church attendance
They get real excited about coming to church and then they find out it's actually work to just come and sit down and listen
To me, okay, you know where anybody really obviously some preachers make it easier for than others and I'm trying okay
I'm trying I'm conscious of it. I'm trying to work on that, you know, make it more enjoyable experience for you
But here's the thing no matter how humorous I am know how many stories I tell no many jokes
I tell now no matter how engaging and dynamic the sermon is even that's gonna wear off after a while and
Eventually, you're just gonna have to go through the discipline the self-discipline to be careful to maintain the good work of church attendance
It's the same way with soul winning. It's real exciting. You know when we're in that receptive area
We're out on the reservation when we're it's some foreign field somewhere when we're in Detroit
Michigan when people are just it's like they're just it's like the Philippian Jailer
They're just throwing themselves at you and and they're just saying what must I do to be safe?
That's a very rare experience. But you know, those are great, but that's not what it's always gonna be
Sometimes we're gonna be in Huachuca City
Where we're just knocking every door and it's just like not interested in Mormon or they're just telling you go away
You know, it's a tough city. Okay
But hey, is it being whipped? Is it being stoned? Is it being shipwrecked? Is it spending a day and a night?
Let me tell you something Paul's missionary journeys. I wonder how many times it ended in prime rib
You know what how many times he sat down at the end of it and said well
I'll take that medium-rare eight ounces with a baked potato
That probably didn't happen very often. That's what we did
You know an amen and I'm not against that. I'm not saying I'm not trying to make anyone who partook feel guilty
The labor is worthy of his reward
Okay, but you know, what if we didn't do that? Would we still be careful to maintain those things?
Obviously, I would assume that we all would
My point is this is that Paul went through all these things all these inconveniences
He remained consistent because he was careful to do so
I mean it goes on here right verse 26 and journeyings often in
Perils of water and perils of robbers and perils by my own countrymen and perils by the heathen and perils in the city and perils
in the wilderness and perils in the sea and perils among false brethren in
Weariness and painfulness and watchings often and hunger and you know watchings that's like going without sleep, right?
In hunger and in thirst and fasting often and cold and in nakedness meaning he doesn't even have proper clothing. Okay?
Besides those things which are without
You know all these things that I just described that which come with upon me daily the care of all the churches
Not only did I have to go and suffer all these things
But I also had to sit there and think about the churches that I'm trying to establish and grow and care for okay
And he goes on and says who is weak and I am NOT weak who is offended and I burn not
And basically when we read that Paul kind of just takes away all of our excuses, doesn't it?
Doesn't he got you know any excuse we might have why we don't want to soul in and look I get sometimes we have valid things
You know, we can't always make it I get that but if we're just in the habit of not being you know
Consistent in this area in this good work or maybe we're just have never started, you know
We ought to we ought to do some soul-searching. We ought to think about that
We ought to compare ourselves here to Paul and ask ourselves. What's stopping me from doing it. What's keeping me from
Maintaining this good work. What's keeping me from being careful to maintain the good work of preaching the gospel?
You know you if it's if it's anything short of this like, you know, you got nothing on Paul
First you have to go through all of this and then maybe you could have something to complain about to Paul
Right and I'll pass, you know, I'll just go ahead and just do the work without having to go through any of that
So good works must be maintained in terms of consistency and in order to do that you're gonna have to overcome
You know inconveniences and being unmotivated and everything else that comes along with just doing things consistently. Okay?
Paul was very consistent, but think about this too that God is consistent in preaching the gospel
I'm not gonna take a long time to develop this point
But it's just something that I thought found interesting go over to Revelation chapter number 14, of course
You know God has been preaching the gospel in some shape or form since the beginning
You know we go back and we read all the books
The Bible says that to him speaking of Christ give all the law and the prophets witness, right?
He showed he showed up his disciples those things and throughout all the scripture concerning himself, right?
So there's things in
Genesis Exodus Leviticus numbers Deuteronomy and all the way down the line
That all there's things in every book that are a picture of Christ that that explained the gospel
I mean even going all the way back to Genesis, right?
We have Adam and Eve being kicked out of the garden and God makes them what coats of skin
Right, he kills an animal and he puts it upon them to cover their shame of their nakedness. It's a picture of Christ
Okay, so God has been consistent in preaching the gospel
Throughout all of time and that's not going to stop and revelation chapter 14
When we get into the last days here when we get into God
You know judging the earth it says in verse 6 and I saw another angel flying the midst of heaven having the everlasting
Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, you know when we read Revelation
We like to read about the angels who have the vials and the bowls and they're pouring out the wrath
And those things are great. We love that right? Amen because that's God's righteous judgment upon, you know, wicked man
But you know, we ought to think about this too that there's an angel
Having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people
You know often when we go out on these soul winning
Excursions out to these other cities and things like that. I always think about that
The fact that Jesus, you know in like in Matthew
I believe it's Matthew 10 where he sent his disciples to and to before his faith and it says
Withersoever he himself would come, you know, he sent his disciples out and then he himself went after them
He said you go ahead of me and preach and then I'm going to come there as well
I just love that even here God is still he's doing the work too. You know, he's still joining in
He's being consistent
You know, he's got this angel that is going out and preaching the everlasting gospel to every nation and kindred and tongue and people and
Obviously today at this time that as I we read earlier in 2nd Corinthians 5 is a ministry that's been given unto us
It's been committed unto us to preach to every nation kindred and tongue
So good works have to be maintained we have to be careful to maintain good works in terms of consistency, okay?
But the other way in which we must maintain good works is in the terms of quality, okay
Look, it's a great thing when we have established ourselves as somebody who does the work of preaching the gospel
Okay, and that's always a starting point but none of us starts out as a great soul winner. Okay, and
Praise God that we don't have to you know
A lot of times I think that's what kind of keeps people back from going out preaching the gospel because they think they have to
Reach some
Level of expertise in order to be able to preach the gospel. Look, all you got to know is where to turn the scripture
You know and be able to just show people are a sinner that Jesus Christ is God, you know, there's there's it's not that complicated
You know, it's something you go through and just show people and either they're gonna get it or not
You know the beautiful thing about preaching the gospel is
Repreach the word and the Holy Spirit does all the heavy lifting
You know, he does the convicting he does the he brings all of that home in their heart
You know or he doesn't or they don't allow it. It's not our job to make sure that people get saved
We're just there to give them the opportunity to get saved. Okay?
But obviously, you know we all start there but we always want to be improving in terms of quality
We have to be careful to maintain our good works in terms of not just consistency, but also in the quality
Okay, we don't want our soul winning to you know, dip down or not be as good as it could be
But always to be good. I want to just make a few just general points on this. Okay, and if you would keeps
Go to Titus chapter 3 Titus chapter number 3 if you got something there in verse 8
He said this this is a faithful saying and these things I will at thou affirm constantly, right?
That's the beginning of the sermon that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works
These things are good and profitable unto men and the good works that we do that we're careful to maintain they profit other people
But then he kind of goes on here and gives us some. Oh, thank you. Yeah, you're definitely getting baptized
well
There's gonna be a shower of blessing here in a second shows you how much I pay attention. All right anyway
What was I saying?
So we have Titus chapter 3 verse 8 we've got these good things or supposed to do profitable
We got to maintain these good works, but then he kind of gives us some practical application here
What how do you do that? What would it look like to maintain good works?
When it comes to soul winning well, first of all, it says in verse 9 avoid foolish questions
Genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law for they are unprofitable in vain
So when we're doing certain things we're going out and doing the good work of soul winning
right when we're going out there and maintaining this good work of
Ministering the gospel to the lost, you know, there also are some things that we should avoid
Okay, there's some things that we should try not to get engaged in as soul winners
And again, this is just you know a way to not maintain just the consistency
But the quality of our soul winning and to improve our soul winning. Okay, and we all have to work on this
I mean, I know that's been the case for me over the years, you know
I I don't want to get up here and tell you all the horrific stories I could about my experience of soul winning
Where I am, you know yelling from the street or you know
Just getting upset with people because they're and being antagonistic and things like that
But you know, that's something I've learned over the years to improve on, you know
Not to have to engage in some kind of a debate with every single person
Who wants to argue with me at the door because we run into that all the time
Okay, and that's why he tells us there's certain things that we have to avoid
Okay, there's certain things we're gonna avoid if we're gonna maintain these good works. You have to avoid some things
Okay
We're gonna maintain the quality of our soul winning the quality of our preaching the gospel
It go over to Proverbs chapter number 27
We're just gonna look at a few Proverbs keep something there and it probably be a shorter sermon this morning
But we're gonna look at a few things in Proverbs
So when it comes again to this idea of maintaining good works avoiding certain things
What are some of the things we're supposed to avoid? Well, it gives us this great list. Okay
Avoid foolish questions, right? So we should be avoiding time
Wasting time with people who are not going to get saved and look these people manifest in different ways the foolish questions the
genealogies the contentions the strivings
The more we go soul winning the more, you know, we'll see this the better. We'll get at it
We'll start to recognize this. Okay
There's some people that we're gonna preach to they're just not gonna get saved
I mean if if we went out and every time we got people saved or when every time we went out
Soul winning and got people saved, you know, we'd all be going all the time
We probably all be just be super exciting. We do it all the time, but that's not reality
The reality is we're probably gonna run into more people that are not going to get saved then get saved
Over the career or whatever you want to call it the lifetime of our soul winning. Okay
So avoid wasting time with people who are not going to get saved
And what's I'm gonna kind of break this into several different groups of people who when you run into them
You should just recognize this person isn't going to get saved. Let's avoid them
Okay, and move on and find somebody say why avoid people I thought we were supposed to preach to gospel every creature
Obviously, yes, so we go there but look not everyone's gonna get saved meaning there's our people that are going to get safe
I want to go find that guy
I'm more interested in going out and finding the person who wants to hear the gospel than the person just wants to argue with
Me or just talk to me or just waste my time
And they might need me to say it's not like they're conniving and saying oh, here's a you know
Here's this Baptist trying to preach the gospel any waste their time, right?
It's just human nature. It's just the way people are just people are just gonna behave in certain ways
We have to learn to recognize it and say this person is wasting
It's a waste of time to take the precious time that we have of preaching the gospel
To go on and on with somebody sometimes we just need to move on and find the next guy
I mean, how often is it that it's the last door that we knock?
You know what? We talked I talked about that every time it happens. It always amazes me
It's a well, it doesn't always amaze me, but I always find it kind of ironic
We'll not we'll go knocking all day long and it's like no one's getting saved and then it's like the last door
The last time you watch you because that's the way it was like the over half the Salvations came
When people were knocking their last door was literally their last doors of the day. We got Salvations, right?
I want to hurry up and get to that last door not just so I can get to the prime rib
You know a lot of times that's where the guy is that's gonna get saved, you know
And God knows where we're gonna be God knows, you know when we're gonna be there
That's why I don't get all worked up about
The fact that if somebody's not home or we can't get to a house or something like that
Look, God knows where we're going and if God wants somebody to be there to hear the gospel, he'll make it happen
I mean God will cause the gate to be left open that day
You know, he'll he'll put it in their head to go out and check the mail on a Sunday or something or whatever
You know the God can engineer engineer a circumstances to where if he knows we're gonna be faithful
We're gonna be careful to maintain our good works in terms of consistency and he can count us on us to be
At a certain place at a certain time out there preaching the gospel
God can bring people across our path who are ready to hear the gospel
But you know what in order to be there for that we can't it's not just being consistent and going
We also have to be consistent and not wasting our time with people that aren't going to get saved and move on. Okay?
So he says here avoid foolish questions, right? These are the rabbit trails
These are the things that people when you want to preach in the gospel. They want to talk about the Nephilim
You know, they want to talk about sasquatch, right? They want to talk about and look if you want to talk about sasquatch
Don't talk about the Nephilim around here. Okay, but if you want to talk about sasquatch do it on your own time
Okay, or do it between the doors with your soul winning partner if you if you must okay
But you know, they want to talk about all these, you know
All these crypto zoology or you know the book of Enoch or they want to they want to just talk about all these
You know
Fantastic just kind of over-the-top things
You're like, hey, let me preach the gospel to you and they're like, well, what about this and what about that, right?
These are the foolish questions that we are to avoid
When people are asking things and obviously not to throw it in their face
We're always trying to be polite and courteous when we're out there
You know, but we don't have to we don't have to say hey that's a foolish question I can't answer that
You know, there's a nice way to put it you can say hey, you know what?
That's not really what I'm here to talk about
We can come back to that later and they just don't come back to it
You know, we could talk about that later like in heaven, you know after I get you saved
And you don't care about that stuff anymore. Anyway
Right avoid these foolish questions. Why because there's just some rabbit trail. They're just they're just gonna waste time
Meanwhile, there's some guy there's some lady
There's somebody out there
Who's who would be open to hearing the gospel?
That would want to get saved that if someone would just come to them and preach in the gospel
They'd say yes, I believe that and they get saved
Right, but if we're there like discussing, you know
I don't know whatever foolish thing they bring up these days. It could be all any manner of things
You know, we're wasting our time and the Bible explicitly says here avoid foolish questions
Avoid foolish questions. Look at Proverbs 27. They have you go there verse 22
Though thou shouldest Bray a fool and a mortar among wheat with the pestle
Yet will not his foolishness depart from him
You know, there's some people there's their foolishness is just so ingrained in their character and who they are
You're never gonna be able to separate the two even if you just ground them down to the just an atomic level
It's just infused with who they are as a person. They're just foolish
And you're not very you're not gonna basically I'm making the application that you're not gonna change their mind anyway
You know, why would I want to sit there and disprove?
You know the it's whatever crazy thing that they're off on
Right, whatever whatever just obscure aliens. What does the Bible say about aliens?
Doesn't say anything about aliens because there are none there is no lane. We're not Mormons here
Okay, we don't believe that people are living on other planets like the Mormons do we're not gonna all nye to Kolob
Okay, what's the song they sing if you could die to Kolob? I don't know the tune
Right, but they believe that they're gonna go be gods on other planets
That's just one of the many crazy things that they believe, you know, and this is why I don't waste time with Mormons. I
Don't waste time with they if I hear over. Yeah, we go to the LDS Church. I'm just like have a nice day
You know enjoy Kolob
aka hell
Right because when you deny that Christ is God, that's where you're going when you deny that salvation is my grace through faith
That's where you're going when you deny the gospel of the Bible. That's where you're going as hell. Okay, I
That's why I just move along because Mormons they know they're the some of the biggest time wasters there are
Because you kick they'll just they don't want to argue. They'll just they'll just be so agreeable with you
they'll just you there and they contradict themselves and you can't pin them down on anything and
Then and never in my experience. I've never seen anybody get one saved unless it's like a Jack Mormon, you know
I'm Mormon, but they haven't been in the Mormon. They haven't been to temple and you know, since they were a kid or something
Okay
They just identify with it
So avoid foolish questions. Look if we're gonna be careful to maintain good works
There's some things we have to avoid when it comes to going out and preaching the gospel avoid foolish questions
Avoid genealogies right now
Obviously, we probably don't run into this literally today where people are pulling out a genealogical chart and explaining their family tree to us
Right, but I'm gonna make the application of this of people who are just kind of storytellers
And you run into this and and and I this is something I have to look out for cuz you know
I believe it or not. I have a soft spot for people. I know it's hard to believe
Okay that I actually you know, I'm a tender-hearted person for lonely people
You know when I run across that person who's kind of a lonely you can't tell they're alone in life
You know, maybe they're older or they don't have a lot of family
They're kind of a shut-in or whatever
But they're you they want to invite you in and sit you down and you're thinking great
I'm gonna give the gospel there. They'll listen to you talk about anything
You could sit there and talk about the weather for an hour and they just be like, oh, yeah
Let's talk about the way. Oh, you want to talk about the gospel great. They just want company
You know, they're not gonna break out of genealogy, but they're just kind of the storyteller
Is that kind of what a genealogy is?
It's just like a that's a story of how you got here kind of a thing where you came from
That's the application. I'm making you'll avoid these people to as as hard as that is because honestly
You know our heart does kind of go out to those people like hey
I'd love to just stay and talk with you all day and give you some company. I can tell you need it some companionship
But maybe that person just needs to come to church and get it there and have some relationships in the church
Okay
I'm there to preach the gospel
And if they just want to kind of nod their head to the gospel and wait for their turn to talk
And tell me about you know
What it was like back in their day or tell me their background and everything, you know, even if it's interesting look
It's a waste of time
You know if we want to go have a personal conversation with somebody then we should probably go do that
Well, we're not out trying to preach the gospel. Okay?
So look out for the storytellers the lonely people as harsh as that sounds
Okay, because again, we have a great work to do
We have to be careful to maintain these works not just in terms of consistency, but in terms of quality
You know, we might have to just say it's been nice talking to you
God bless you if you're not interested here in the gospel if they're not getting it. It's time to move on. Okay?
Mm-hmm
The Bible says in Proverbs if you would go to 18 Proverbs chapter 18
And look obviously not every person that's just gonna kind of
You know waste your time in this way of being a kind of just lonely and wanting to somebody to talk to you as a fool
Okay, but the Bible does say in verse 2 of Proverbs 18 verse 2 a fool hath no delight and understanding
But that his heart may discover itself. He has no delight in understanding. He doesn't want to know the truth
He's not interested in hearing what the Bible has to say about anything. He's not interested in the gospel
He just wants to uncover his heart that his heart may discover itself, you know discovering the Bible is talking about like uncovering, right?
That's what it means the Bible to uncover to discover something
It's not like we think of it today like Columbus discovered the new world or whatever
Okay, but the Bible is talking about uncovering something the fool has no delight, but that his heart may uncover itself
He just wants to tell you all about him
He just wants to tell you about his background where they came from
You know where all their children have gone and who their favorite sports teams are and about, you know
They just want to talk about themselves, right? Look there's a time and place to talk about yourself
I get it, but when it's hey, we're here to preach the gospel
We're here to show you how to go to heaven and avoid hell. It's time to listen
It's not time to sit and it would be a very foolish thing
To silence somebody who's trying to tell you the truth of the gospel just so you could talk about yourself
Okay
So these are the things that we have to be careful to maintain and in maintaining we have to avoid foolish questions
Genealogies, what else it says in Titus chapter 3 avoid the foolish questions the genealogies and
contentions go to Proverbs chapter number 17 Proverbs chapter number 17
Obviously, I think the contentions is a pretty big pretty obvious one right anybody who's married knows what this is
That's a joke. Okay, you can laugh at that
Just kidding. I know no one here ever argues or fights with their spouse. You're just like me
But you know obviously contentions it's a pretty obvious one right people who just want to argue
Right and you run it. Do you not run into this out so winning?
And maybe it's not even aggressive
Maybe it's not even like a like they're even mad
But they just want to tell you why you're wrong and why they're right, you know
Some people they just want to convince themselves that they're right
You know, they just want to they're just gonna sit there and argue with you on every point you bring up
Just so that they can feel like no
I'm right, you know, I I'm right for having been a Catholic for the last 40 years
I'm right for having been Catholic for the last or
Been a Church of Christ for the last 50 years or whatever it is. I'm right to have been Mormon my entire lifetime
Okay
People who want to just argue and we're what preach to you
That's a lot of times what you run into as a soul winner
They're not interested in a dialogue. What they're actually trying to do is is to instruct you
Okay, and look if people want to try and do that with me, that's fine. But come knock on my door
Okay, and I won't argue with you. Even if you come to my door, that's what they'll find out
You know, but if I'm coming there to teach to teach and preach to them
I want somebody's gonna listen not preach and teach to me. Does that make sense? Because that's just contention
And we have to be careful about getting into contentions
What you know start arguing over doctrine and things like that
Because it says in Proverbs chapter 17 verse 14 the beginning of strife is when one letteth out water, you know
This is a perfect illustration, right? You just let water out. It's gonna keep running right until someone turns it off
but it's also the idea like when you ever like had like I don't know if you you have to actually have
Running water somewhere around here to know what I'm talking about
So probably this is lost on all of you and that little group in the desert
but you know if you ever had a little stream a little creek that
You know running through like a little piece of property like we used to have as a kid
We would build little mud dams
You know, we go out we make these little mud dams
But then if you poked a hole in it
The water would start to come out and then all the mud would start to wash away and then eventually it's just all that
Water that backed up would come rushing out right Kent tension is kind of the same way
You know, it's just one little comment
It's one little snide remark and then it's you know
Then you're arguing and then you're rolling around on the floor trying to pummel each other. I know I'm just kidding, right?
but that's how strife works and
Often when we go to the door and we're trying to preach them in the gospel and they want to argue
It's just gonna lead to more arguing and more arguing to where you might find yourself
Yelling from the middle of the street, you know, I don't know if anyone else has ever done that
Probably not right, but you can get into people where you're just like getting very
Zealous and getting very
enraged even
That's why you know when I run into people who have been
entrenched in a false religion
For a very long time. I'll just I'll even and this is something I learned from Pastor Thompson
We were so winning out in Yakima. I think it was like a Church of Christ guy or Jehovah Witness
You know and he would say he's like, oh, I'm JW, you know, he's like, okay
He was like, well, how long have you been a Jehovah Witness 38 years? He's like, okay
He's like, well, hey, here's a here's a here's a card if you want to just you know
Look this up the Bible way to heaven you can do that, but you have a good day
You know wasn't rude about it wasn't mean very politely
Walked away, but he just said look, you know when I run into people that have been in a false religion for decades
He's like I don't have decades to sit here and unravel everything if they're like died in the wool
Church going Jehovah Witnesses who deny the deity of Christ
Amongst several other things, okay
They are preaching a false gospel. They're believing a false gospel
You know, they they're there
I don't want to say they're beyond hope but it's it's not I don't have the time to sit there and
Unravel that not a false doctrine and all they're gonna do is argue. I've tried folks anyone who's tried knows this is true
You start to try and contend with every point that they bring up and this is another thing that keeps people from going
They think well I have to know how to answer a Mormon and I know have to answer a Jehovah Witness and I have to
Know how to answer a Church of Christ and I have to have all my doctrine lined up perfectly
So every single argument that gets thrown at me I can counter
No, you don't because the Bible says that we should avoid strife
We should avoid striving with people when we're out trying to maintain good works of soul winning
When somebody's died in the wool, and it's just obviously they're not gonna get it. They don't want to listen
They're not receptive. They just want to contend with me. It's have a nice day
I'm sorry. It wasn't their day. Maybe they'll scan the YouTube card
Maybe they'll look up the Bible way to heaven and think about it
Maybe God will bring another soul winner later that will and have things happen in their life
That'll make them more humble and ready to receive the gospel. But at that point it's just not their day
And I get it, you know people
There it's just like with the storytellers. We have a soft spot
We want people so desperately to get saved
We want them to see the error of their false ways, but it's just not going to happen nine times out of ten
It's very rare that people who are died in the wool ever come around
No, we are to avoid contentions we're to avoid
strivings about the law
Right strivings people who are just not going to get it. They just want to strive with us. They just want to contend with us
He says there in verse 10 a man that is and I'm just read to you from Titus 3
I don't know if you're still there a man that is in heretic after the first and second
Second admonition reject right a man that is in heretic meaning they believe heresy. They're teaching heresy
He says reject them after the first and second admonition. The Bible says there's some people that we're to reject
Bible teaches are some people that God rejects they're called reprobates
It's what it literally means reprobate silver shall men call them because God the Lord hath rejected them. Okay
There's some people that were to avoid
heretics, you know people that are just he's died in the wool, whatever false religion you you know, you figure it out, but
They they're to be avoided after what the first and second admonition now
Here's I think some people read that and I think I have to give them to admonitions
I
Think that that when he's saying they're the first and second admonitions are like the upper limits of the time
You should spend with them. It doesn't say you have to give them make sure you give them a first and second admonition
Right because think about it if well which which one is required
What's the bare minimum the first or the second if it's saying no you have to give so many admonitions
Why is it the first and second admonition?
Wouldn't just say after two admonitions if there was like that was like what was required again
I'm saying if this is like a prescription here. Okay, you're dealing with a heretic. It's to add its first one or two admonitions
You know, if it was if you're saying this is a bare minimum, it wouldn't be one or two. It would be like two
Right, whatever that bare minimum was you'd say well, it's two admonitions and then no more than that
That's it. Right, but you have to give at least two
The Bible is not even saying we have to give a first and second admonition
Well, I believe it's saying here is like because we're told to avoid these people
He said any saying look if you're gonna do it after the first and second. That's it. We're done
These are the upper limits of the amount of times. We should admonish somebody that's an heretic
Okay, it doesn't say that we have to admonish them that many times. Okay
But those those things come quickly don't they when you're trying to preach the gospel
You know, that's why it's like with the Jehovah Witness. It's like well, yeah, we all believe they'll say yeah, we're sinners
It's like okay. Well hell is a punishment for sin
Well, we don't believe in a literal hell and they don't by the way, they don't believe in a literal hell like the Bible teaches
They believe that you'll just not exist which is a damnable heresy. Okay, cuz it's not what the Bible teaches at all
The Bible teaches us that the the rich man, you know in being in torments lift up his eyes
Being in torments and saw Lazarus afar off right? He was in a literal fiery hell. Okay
Hopefully we understand that
But here's the thing, you know, that's with Jehovah Witness. That's where I got him
I don't have to spend a whole lot of time with Joe witness. It's like the first point
We're all sinners second point. The hell is the punishment for sin. Well, we don't believe in that. Okay. There's your first admonition
See you later
That's why when they say well, I'm a Jehovah Witness and you can tell they're just like card-carrying Jehovah Witness
I don't even bother with the first admonition
Because I've done enough times. I already know they don't believe in hell
You know and it doesn't matter how much scripts you show them. They're gonna pull out their
Translation which is no translation at all their new world quote-unquote translation, which isn't a translation
they just wrote whatever they want in there and
There's gonna go because they don't believe this book
And when they don't believe in the Bible when they don't believe in the King James Bible like the Mormons who say that it's fallible
And they don't believe that this is the inspired and errant word of God
What late what ground do you have to stand on?
You don't have a leg to stand on when somebody doesn't believe the Bible you can't come at him with anything
It doesn't matter how many things you show them from the scripture. They don't believe it to begin with they believe something else
Catholics don't believe this book hello. They believe in the writings of the Church Fathers and the papal decrees
That's what they believe they put that above this book. They do you go read it in their catechism. It's true
You know that's what they believe
So why would I sit there and waste my time?
Trying to convince them with something out of the Word of God out of a book that they don't believe
You know well, I got to give them two admonitions. No you don't
That's the upper limit of how much time you should spend with somebody admonishing them
to change what they believe about something and
If you're right, and if you're dealing with somebody who you know is just gonna strive with you
It's just gonna be contentious
we need to be careful to maintain the good work of knowing to win to just walk away and avoid them completely and
Go find the guy that wants to hear it
Avoid the heretics avoid the people that want to contend I
Already gave the soul winning tip okay, that's just a practical soul winning tip for the soul winners out there
How long have you been?
Catholic how long have you been a Mormon how long have you been a Jehovah Witness? How long have you been in the Church of Christ?
My whole life. I mean we ran into that lady yesterday
You know we ran into several other people from that church in that neighborhood the the Bethlehem Bethlehem
Holy Ghost charismatic tongue-talking Pentecostal Church that it was
Who believe you can lose your salvation that it's all by works look the Bible says we're saved by grace through faith and not
Of works if it be of works, and it is no more by grace otherwise works is no more works
It's either one or the other okay, it's either by grace or it's by works
It's not both so when I got when there's a church. That's teaching everybody in that neighborhood. It's works. It's works. It's works
You know and then you run into like we did the pastor's daughter who's been going to that church for 47 years
Or 42 years or whatever it was
It's not all that I'm gonna undo 40 plus years of indoctrination in 10 minutes
It's not gonna happen, and I'm sorry I feel bad for that person. I wish they would get saved
It's not it's not that I don't have a burden for them. I feel bad for them, but this is reality
This is the spiritual reality. That's why we have to go reach people before that happens
That's why it's so much more important to go out and reach people before they become deeply entrenched in some false religion
That's why it's so important that we're careful to maintain good works. Not just in quality, but what?
Inconsistency in going out there week in week out and preaching the gospel to every creature before that happens to somebody
Before they just get completely indoctrinated, but you know what in the process of doing that and going out and reaching people
You're gonna run into people. It's it's too late. I don't have I don't have a nicer way saying it
It's too late for some people. They're just not going to get it. You say oh no no
Everyone's gonna get it explain why Jesus said more people are going to hell than heaven then
Why did he say broad it is the way which leadeth unto destruction and many there be which go in there at?
Why did he say narrow is the way and straight is the gate which leadeth unto eternal life?
And few there be that find it. Why did he say that?
If that's not the case, is he lying
No, because the reality is more people are going to hell than heaven
And part of the reason a lot of people are gonna go to hell is
Because all they want to do is strive all they want to do is contend
All they want to do is just ask about foolish things
All they want a lot of times all they want to do is just tell stories and just bend your ear
They don't want to hear the gospel. Okay, we have to be careful in this area maintain these good works
inconsistency maintain these good works of
Quality these good works don't come naturally. Okay, they don't come naturally
These are things that have to be maintained the oil and the car doesn't change itself
it's a lot of my car it lets itself out, but
I've never seen the car putting oil in itself. It's definitely letting oil out of itself. Okay, it's changing it
It's got that part down, you know gravity's lending hand
But these things don't come naturally, you know car maintenance
Doesn't maintain itself neither does our spiritual work neither. There's a good works that we are to be fervently maintaining. Okay?
They neither do they improve on them on their own do they they have to we have to work to improve them
You know, we have to be admonished in these things. We have to be
Helped along in these things
They don't improve they don't come naturally
We must be careful to take these things upon ourselves and to maintain these good works. Let's go ahead and close in a word of prayer